Avoiding Pesticides
The term pesticides refers to a wide variety of chemical products, including herbicides, which are used to control weeds; insecticides, used to control insects; termiticides, used to control termites; rodenticides, used to control mice and rats; and fungicides, used to control fungus.
Pesticides are among the most widely used chemicals in the world and among the most hazardous to human health. They cause serious acute and chronic health effects.
A report published by the David Suzuki Foundation, in 2007, found that every year, 6,000 Canadians suffer acute poisoning from pesticides. Almost half of those are children under the age of six. (It should be noted that these numbers reflect only reported cases; if unreported and misdiagnosed cases were included, the number would almost certainly be significantly higher).
In addition, pesticides cause many more to suffer chronic health problems, including headaches, neurological problems, learning problems, nerve damage, kidney damage, infertility and other reproductive problems. Research also suggests that pesticides can cause non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma, leukemia, soft tissue sarcomas, brain tumours and other cancers.
Ways to Avoid Pesticides
- Eat organic foods.
- If you are not able to buy organic foods (because they tend to be more expensive or they are not readily available):
- Buy local produce when in season. Eating food grown close to home is healthier for the planet and pesticide regulations in Canada are more stringent than in some other countries.
- Eat a variety of fruits and vegetables to avoid eating the same type that may have a higher level of residue.
- Throw away the outer leaves of leafy vegetables, such as lettuce and cabbage.
- Wash fruits and vegetables in warm water, or a mixture of water and baking soda, and scrub with a brush. Do not peel because the vitamins gained by leaving the peel on outweigh the health risks from pesticides.
- Trim the fat and skin from meat and fish because some pesticide residues tend to concentrate in animal fat.
- Buy organic fibres. Cotton uses more insecticides than any other crop.
- Don’t use chemical pesticides in your home. Instead, identify where the insects are getting in and fill the cracks; store foods in airtight containers, and keep your home crumb-free and clean. If you require the services of a pest control company, hire a company that uses alternative products. (For more information on Dealing with Pests at Home, visit the Pesticide Action Network website.)
- Avoid using anti-bacterials that contain pesticides. Use soap and water instead.
- Rid the buildings where you work and live of pesticides. Talk to building management and landlords about using less toxic alternatives.
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Use non-toxic or less toxic alternatives to pesticides when caring for your lawn and garden. Click here to learn more.
- Join or start a group to ban pesticides from your municipality.
- If you have pesticides and pesticide containers you want to dispose of, be sure to dispose of them in an environmentally responsible way. Never burn or pour pesticides down the drain. Do not re-use empty containers. Contact your city officials to find out how to dispose of hazardous waste.
Alternatives to using pesticides outdoors
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